Today I finally figured out why I have not been able to play any games, none what-so-ever, over the last few months: it was because I installed EVGA Precision X 16 a few months ago. Today, after much grief and inability to play with my friends, again for months, I closed Precision X just outta a whelm, and it fixed all my issues!

I also have a few other open-issues I've posted without a response:

BUG: EVGA PrecisionX 16 5.3.2 - Graphs outta view
Precision X 16 (5.3.1): OSD shows, but doesn't move/is STATIC
 
I'm posting this as a rant as I haven't heard anything from the other posts.

Recently I've noticed that the PrecisionX graph always flashes on my far right screen upon every reboot - even though I don't have it loading on startup, nor is it in the Setup. It flashes for a fraction of a second and goes away. What is it trying to load?!? I have formatted and installed it twice, and notice it everytime.
 
The build quality of Precision X is just not there (not to mention the design decisions - a GUI settings menu? And each new install I have to figure out what I can and cannot click on?).

I switched from Afterburner to Precision 4.21 back when I got my 780 Classified K|ngp|n editions w/EVBot, since Afterburner didn't seem to set the voltage properly.

After a few months of Precision X installed, and no ability to play any games, I just learned it was Precision X 16 causing my grief, this combined with the direction Precision X is going with its design and other bugs, and this has turned me off of EVGA software going forward.

I wanted to get all of that out of way before getting into the details of what Precision X is having problems with. Here we go.

As I posted over on the BF4 forums, I had sever Keyboard Input lag, sticky keys and missed key presses. I thought it was a key logger or some other development piece of software i installed on my 1.5 year old Win 8.1 Pro install (.NET developer, Python, Ruby and a lot of GoLang now). I thought it was maybe my windows updates I haven't ran in like 6 months. I thought perhaps it was maybe Google Hangouts dialer I installed recently. Etc. Only this week have I spent days, many days, formatting and installing Windows 8.1 Pro multiple times to track down exactly what the problem is.

Again, I have the keyboard delayed-typing + sticky keys + missed keys issue that many gamers have reported in other game forums (not just BF4). Mouse is perfectly fine.
 
* Recently formatted and installed a fresh copy of Windows 8.1 Pro x64. Nope, didn't fix it.
* Recently updated the bios from a 1.5 year original-launch version to current. Nope, didn't fix it.
* Recently swapped my Logitech Solar Wireless keyboard for another Logitech Solar Wireless keyboard. Nope, didn't fix it.
* Thinking it was the Logitech Unikey-thingy and interference, I finally sprang for and purchased the $150 CODE Mechanical keyboard. Nope, didn't fix it.
* Switched that CODE Mechanical keyboard from USB to PS/2. Nope, didn't fix it.
* I have always disabled Origin In-Game as I only use Steam's overlay. I've now disabled Steams overlay. Nope didn't fix it.
* Went to launching Origin directly instead of from Steam. Nope, didn't fix it.
* Formatted and installed Windows 8.1 Pro x64 fresh again. Nope, didn't fix it.
* Filter Keys and Sticky Keys are always disabled upon new Windows 8.1 installs I do. Doubled checked, still disabled. Nope, didn't fix it.
 
Setup is in the sig. But in short:
ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition + 4930k @ 4.6 Ghz w/160 Mhz FSB, 16GB @ 2133 Mhz
2x Titans @ 1202 Mhz / 7200 Mhz
3x 1080p monitors @ 5760x1080 resolution
 
After these fresh installs (I did a few more Win 8.1 Pro installs, limiting specific software), all I have installed are:
F.lux
EVGA Precision X 16
Skype
Chrome + Hangouts
Google Drive
Origin + BF4
Steam + X-Rebirth
 
And the problems persisted. I tried without F.lux. Tried without Hangouts. Nada.
 
Today I asked myself, "I've spent most of my vacation trying to fix my system. What if I closed Precision X 16 and let the Titans' handle themselves. Humm, they will run hot, downclocking for sure but I think I can get in 30 seconds to a minute of game play to see if that was the problem before they hit the temp limits. Surely that's not it, but I've exhausted every other option." Well, THAT WAS IT!
 
I've since purged EVGA Precision X 16 and installed MSI Afterburner 4.1.0.  I lost my 64-bit overlay (forcing BF4 back to 32bit, that's fine).  X-Rebirth, oh well..  Small price to pay to be able to actually play my game.

Can you see if this helps you at all, as a workaround, for it to stop interfering with games while it is running? (Yes, I know the workaround will disable OSD for your game, but ... just try it as a test, to humor the community maybe, and provide yourself some sanity/proof that the OSD component of Precision X 16, is the culprit in your unfortunate adventure)...
 

I play 2 games, iRacing and Hearthstone. Precision X interferes/breaks both of them.
OSD is erroneously interfering with processes, even when it is turned off!
 
Here is a tedious workaround to prevent the issue:
- Click "OSD" to temporarily turn it on
- Find the new "Server" icon in your system tray, and double click it to open it
- Use the "Add" button, to add all of your game's executables to this "OSD Exclusion list"
- Click OK to close the "Server" window
- Click "OSD" to turn it back off again
- Exit Precision X, and then re-open it
- Test to see if your game/application works now without OSD making it misbehave
 
Basically, for my main games (Hearthstone and iRacing), I have to add them to this "OSD Exclusion list" for them to work properly, even when OSD is off. It's a royal pain of a bug, but so far, the tedious workaround prevents the issue from happening.
 
EVGA: Please please please fix this. When OSD is off, it should not be interfering with processes!

I can also confirm that the newer versions are broken as hell, I practically have to add almost every game to the OSD exclusion list to prevent crashes even when OSD is turned off. Although it's an easy fix, I just find it easier to revert to an older version - honestly the new one doesn't do anything that 4.2.1 doesn't considering that I don't use the OSD, and older one works with everything automatically.
 
It's a real shame that the newer versions just cause so much problems that it's easier to use a really old one instead...

eduncan911
...As I posted over on the BF4 forums, I had sever Keyboard Input lag, sticky keys and missed key presses. I...

I too was recently just annoyed with this. did you try setting precision x to startup at boot and run in the background? i found that if i let PX run in the background like this, it was less of an issue. however if i brought up the UI it was like my keyboard was delayed by a good second or two. mouse and joystick unaffected, only keyboard.

annonm

eduncan911
...As I posted over on the BF4 forums, I had sever Keyboard Input lag, sticky keys and missed key presses. I...

I too was recently just annoyed with this. did you try setting precision x to startup at boot and run in the background? i found that if i let PX run in the background like this, it was less of an issue. however if i brought up the UI it was like my keyboard was delayed by a good second or two. mouse and joystick unaffected, only keyboard.

No, I never set it auto-start on windows startup (nor do i do anything).
 
Yep, delayed by a second or two, and missing intermediate key presses.  Mouse unaffected as well, just like you mentioned.
 
As I mentioned in the OP, I went back to Afterburner and all has been well for me - for the past 6 weeks.  Just no 64bit OSD, which I'm used to.

There is a solution to all these problems.
 
Afterburner 4.1.1 has just been updated to include unlocked voltages for many GPUs.  My EVGA 780Ti's overvolt perfectly.  I can't find any bugs in Afterburner, and the OSD is miles ahead of Precision X 16.  
 
Precision X16 is a buggy, infuriating, mess.  EVGA really should just pull it off the web site and cancel the development because with the new voltage control in Afterburner, there's not a single reason to use Precision.  
 
I buy EVGA GPUs every time I need a new one.  They're great.  EVGA is not competent in software development.  Period.  Stick to what you do well.

Really disappointed with the new pX 5.3.5 update on Windows 8 - GTX 670 4GB / ATI 2600 HD Mac. 4.2.1 was such a smooth working tool for both cards. 
Will revert back to 4.2.1 PERIOD! Not wasting more any time with it.
 
GL tweaking this beast all!!!
 
Cheers

+1 for Afterburner (thanks, micas!). Precision X16 kept crashing just about everything I was trying to run, including VLC player. Didn't bother with workarounds and individual additions to the server list suggested here, just went straight to a solution that works...

LOL it even crashes skype... I turned precision on to see if I could force my maxwell card to keep it's clock at the 1240 (instead of downclocking to 450 which it seems to like to do for no reason) and skype started crashing every 30 seconds. 

Squall_Rinoa86
My OSD Doesn't even work...

mine works,, mine just doesnt start up with windows and none of the colors work,, and the random crash here and there

I noticed this a while ago as well. Like everyone here is saying this program is a steaming pile of (Word deleted for Foul Language)

Guild Wars would crash and other games would act funny as well. Emailed support said they could not reproduce these issues (same as listed in thread) and asked to reinstall? Told them No Thanks, I'll install AfterBurner lol Sad really as I've used EVGA's soft for quite a few years and never had issues/

ktseymour
I noticed this a while ago as well. Like everyone here is saying this program is a steaming pile of (Word deleted for Foul Language)

Guild Wars would crash and other games would act funny as well. Emailed support said they could not reproduce these issues (same as listed in thread) and asked to reinstall? Told them No Thanks, I'll install AfterBurner lol Sad really as I've used EVGA's soft for quite a few years and never had issues/

 
Just call it what it is. A steaming pile of crap.   It's unfortunate because EVGA has GREAT GPUs.  Unfortunately I cannot trust buying more fundamental parts like motherboards from them because of the amount of software that is necessary to have working for them to run properly.  EVGA step up your game please. This software is vital to the full function of your GPUs and it is LACKING.

I was using Precision X as well for about a month after building my new GTX 960 FTW machine until I realized it was the cause of VLC, MPC-HC and some steam games all crashing.
 
When I would watch videos on either VLC or MPC-HC the viewing area would go black and the sound would keep playing but eventually give error. With games my screen would go black after exiting some games (mostly Portal.) I could click on stuff but not really see what I'm clicking (extremely wonky) and was forced to restart my machine.
 
When I was linked to a bug report:  after this happened in MPC-HC, I found out that the bug report targeted Precision X as the cause of the crash and removing it was the only known fix.
 
I have since switched to MSI Afterburner and have had none of the above issues.

After a few months of Precision X installed, and no ability to play any games, I just learned it was Precision X 16 causing my grief, this combined with the direction Precision X is going with its design and other bugs, and this has turned me off of EVGA software going forward. 
 
 
 
I figured this out today. I tried overclocking my 980 and it dropped the card performance to 50% of what it usually would be. This is applying any clock or adjusting any slider however so small. I'm trying to find another overclock utility until this blows over.

It's because they got rid of Unwinder for whatever reason, and the last version of EVGA Precision he worked on was Precision X 4.2.1... Now someone else is responsible for Precision X, and they are clearly sloppy at coding. What they're releasing lately is experimental software at best. Wish they could get Unwinder back, don't think it's possible at this point though.